


a minor distraction

by sadie18



Series: a study in pining [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Fourth Year, Internal Conflict, M/M, Pining, Realising Feelings, Triwizard Tournament, bi realisation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-09 21:43:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20516909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadie18/pseuds/sadie18
Summary: harry's first real crush on a boya study of realisation





	a minor distraction

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me on tumblr @oliivverwood x

Harry hadn't expected for the Triwizard tournament to require something as common as _studying, _which was one of the reasons why he was hit by a wave of confusion when Cedric asked if he wanted to study together. 

_One of the reasons. _

Harry was a bit scrawny, a little awkward and had enough attitude to drive any weak-willed strangers away. People that used to approach him, in awe of his tragic past and the blasted scar on his head, learned quickly enough that Harry James Potter did _not _want to sign their parchment, or take a photo.

Understanding all of this, another point of confusion that came to him was when he realised that _Cedric _was asking _him _if they wanted to study together. Cedric was kind, loved by all, conventionally quite attractive, just like Harry'd thought about Charlie Weasley, or Oliver Wood.

He said yes a bit too quickly to be casual. Cedric shot him a smile anyways, the one that had girls like Cho, strong, independent Cho, falling at his feet.

It was maddening. 

More maddening was how he counted down the hours till he'd be meeting Cedric in the library. 

* * *

Harry was late. 

He often was, to most events, a result of poor-planning and his mind elsewhere, quite normally about his impending death, or idle thoughts on how the Chudley Cannons were doing in the league this season. 

When he entered the library, Harry scanned the the large room for a familiar face. He knew he would never be able to miss it.

Then. 

_There_. 

In the corner of the library, Cedric sat alone at a table. The window behind him revealed a slowly setting sun, lighting him up as if he had a halo. He was chewing the tip of his quill, his brow furrowed as he concentrated on the texts he was reading. He had shucked off the black robes of the school uniform, opting to just wear his white button down and slacks, his tie loosened around his collar. 

Harry dazedly thought that even _Cedric _did human things like chewing the tip of his quill. This seemed unfathomable.

His pulse quickened as he slowly made his way towards the table, feeling a bit nervous for a reason that he couldn't quite name yet. When Cedric acknowledged him, he did so with a grin, a genuine smile that reached his eyes and warmed Harry from the top of his perpetually-messy hair to the toes of his scuffed school loafers. 

"Don't be nervous." He said kindly. "Triwizard isn't supposed to be _too _dangerous." 

Harry could've laughed, at how wrong Cedric was. Triwizard would be nothing compared to the past life-threatening experiences he had. If there was one thing to be grateful for after being exposed to the Basilisk at the tender age of twelve, it was that Harry couldn't care less about whatever Dumbledore would throw at him next. 

He wondered if it was worth the nightmares though, how he slept with his wand under his pillow, always a quick reach away. 

"Spectacular." Harry murmured lightly, and Cedric laughed. It was melodic- different from the quiet giggles he'd hear from Parvati, or the hearty guffaw he was used to from Ginny. 

It _felt _different.

After a few minutes of redundant small talk and Harry glancing away every few seconds, they began their reading. 

No. 

_Cedric _began his reading. 

Harry hid behind his book in a manner so that Cedric wouldn't see his furious blushing, or his eyes flitting towards him every couple seconds, unable to look away, and Harry was _frustrated, _because he didn't know what was so _alluring _about Cedric- why he couldn't keep his gaze away, why he was hyperaware of every sound Cedric made. The older boy was humming something softly as he worked, poking his tongue out as his eyes danced side to side while he read.

He just didn't _know. _

Harry put all the willpower he had into focusing on the dusty old tome in front of him. Granted, the willpower he _did _have wasn't effective. He'd always been a bit impulsive for his own good, and this wasn't helping his matters any more. 

He let out a deep sigh at that.

Cedric suddenly set his book down, softly, but even that noise made Harry startle. If Cedric noticed, he ignored it, because that was his way. 

He was just _nice. _

"Anything useful in there?" Cedric nodded his head towards the book in Harry's hand. Unsurprisingly, Harry was only seven pages in. How could he get any further, being as distracted as he was?

Deliriously, Harry wondered if he was ill.

"Not sure?" he choked out, wincing at how it sounded like a question. 

Cedric hummed in acknowledgement. Then he leaned over. 

Harry's mind went haywire at this moment, short-circuiting at the realisation that Cedric, who was hovering near his shoulder, his eyes firmly on the page, was _inches _away, his tie brushing Harry's chest. He hadn't realised he held his breath until his lungs were aching and then-

Harry _knew. _

It clicked.

Harry liked looking at Cedric and liked hearing his laugh and liked watching him smile because Cedric was _beautiful_. Cedric made Harry feel the same way as he did when Cho Chang smiled at him in the corridors, or the short week he'd been unable to stop thinking about Hannah Abbott, and everything began to fit together like a puzzle Harry hadn't been realising he needed to solve. 

It explained Oliver Wood, who Harry had admired so greatly, and Charlie Weasley, who Harry had felt so inexplicably drawn to, and Fred Weasley, who he blushed around in the locker rooms. 

Harry didn't realise that it was an option, to be able to like _both. _

"Oh." Harry accidentally mumbled out loud, flushing immediately as Cedric turned to him expectantly. 

_Oh._


End file.
